The USEPA’s Office of Water is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Campus RainWorks Challenge for college and university students. Once again, EPA is inviting student teams to design an innovative green infrastructure project for their campus showing how managing stormwater at its source can benefit the campus community and the environment.

This year, EPA is pleased to introduce two design categories: a Master Plan category and a Site Design category. Winning teams in each category will be awarded cash prizes, and winning teams in the Site Design category may also be invited to apply for grant funding to help carry out a demonstration project based on their submission.

Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage stormwater and create healthier urban environments. While single-purpose “gray” stormwater infrastructure (e.g. catch basins, pipes, and ponds) is largely designed to move urban stormwater away from the built environment, green infrastructure uses vegetation and soil to manage rainwater where it falls. By weaving natural processes into the built environment, green infrastructure can provide not only stormwater management, but also heat island mitigation, air quality management, community amenities, and much more.

DATES

September 9, 2013 – Registration Opens

October 7, 2013 – Registration Closes

December 13, 2013 – Entries Due

February 2014 – Site Design Winners Announced and Invitations to Apply for Simplified Grant Competition Issued (Subject to Availability of Funds)

April 2014 – Master Plan Winners Announced

PRIZES

EPA will award a total of $6,000 in prizes to first and second place teams in the Master Plan and Site Design categories. Winning teams will earn a cash prize to be distributed evenly among student team members. First place teams will receive a prize of $2,000 and second place teams will receive a prize of $1,000.
Subject to the availabilityof funds and the nature and quality of the projects proposed, EPA hopes to invite selected colleges and universities in the Site Design category to compete for grant funding. Colleges and universities associated with the winners and honorable mentions in the Site Design category would be invited to apply for a simplified grant competition. Through this simplified grant competition, EPA hopes to award 2 to 4 schools $25,000 each to help carry out demonstration projects based on the student design submissions.